URBAN EXPRESSION AND DEPRESSION

Street Photography That Highlights Urban Life

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THE SUMMER HOUSE AT ST ENDA’S PARK

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THE SUMMER HOUSE AT ST ENDA’S PARK IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE WATCH TOWER

Built to look like a small castle or tower, this building originally had a stairs which allowed visitors to go up on its roof and see the impressive views of Dublin city below.

St Enda’s was not always a public park. Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916 ran a school there, St Enda’s School (or Scoil Éanna in Irish), in The Hermitage. This magnificent house was built in 1780 for the Dublin dentist Edward Hudson. Pearse, who was a teacher at the time, bought the building in 1910 as his school in Ranelagh was getting too small. Pearse considered the site ideal as his curriculum had a heavy emphasis on nature.

DERELICT SHELL HOUSE

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DERELICT SHELL HOUSE IN BUSHY PARK

On a previous visit I was told that this is a “folly” but today I realised that is [was] a shell house. It would appear that it was decorated with shells inside rather than outside.

A shell is usually a small building, of distinctive shape, and decorated with sea shells. The degree of decoration can vary, from simple lines or features, to a full wall and ceiling covering. Time consuming to make, expensive now to maintain and restore, they are always going to be a rarity.

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